Chapter 12: Questions

Bella was sitting outside, staring out at the forest since she couldn't go out there without her parents freaking out right now. She played with her ring that was on her pointer finger when she heard the bushes rustle. She stood up, staring at the forest and let out a sigh when she saw that it was Jacob Black. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," he commented.

"You didn't scare me," she answered.

He walked over to her and Bella got back up on the porch. "How completely unfair that my parents aren't allowed on your land, but you walk all over theirs," she told him.

"Starting to dislike werewolves like your parents?" He asked.

"I dislike people who insult my parents and insinuate that they would hurt me," she replied.

"They're vampires, its in their nature to attack people," he told her.

"If my parents wanted to hurt me, they would've done that a long time ago instead of raising me," she answered.

She glared at him. "And you're a werewolf, isn't it in your nature to what chase a damn cat up a tree?" She asked.

"You sound like your mother," he commented.

"I get that from time to time," she answered.

She leaned against the rail. "What do you want Jacob?" She asked.

"I just came to ask you a few questions," he replied.

Bella remained silent and stared out at the forest. "Do you have any memory of your childhood before your parents took you?" he asked.

"They didn't take me, they rescued me. I was two at the time how much do you think I will remember?" She answered.

"So no memory of your birthparents?" he asked.

"What business is it of yours if I remember my birthparents or not?" She asked.

Jacob was quiet and let out a sigh. "Don't you find it funny that you're unable to go anywhere without their permission?" He asked.

"They're protecting me," she replied.

"From what?" he asked.

Bella looked at him. "It's none of your damn business and I can see why my mother never wanted me to cross the treaty line," she answered. She went inside and slammed the door closed.

Bella leaned against the door and let out a sigh. She jumped when she suddenly heard a howl not too far away.

She started walking around the house when she suddenly had the feeling she was being watched. "You're crazy, Bella, you're just losing it," she told herself going into the kitchen. She let out a deep breath and started to clean up her dinner dishes. Emmett and Rosalie had gone out on a hunt so she knew they wouldn't be back for another hour or so. Bella was scrubbing out a pan when her mind started to wander.

(Flashback)

Bella heard her mother scream and then a loud crack. "MAMA!" She shouted. She screamed when she saw a pair of red eyes. She started running down the hall.

"GET BACK HERE YOU BRAT!" The intruder shouted.

Bella hid in a closet and held her teddy bear to her chest.

(End Flashback)

Bella screamed when someone suddenly grabbed her arm. She turned around and pushed against the person. "NO!" She shouted and the next thing she knew, her dad was on the other side of the kitchen.

"Emmett what was…" Rosalie trailed off when she saw her husband picking himself up off the floor.

Bella was shaking, looking down at her hands and looked at her dad. "What was that?" She asked. Emmett walked over to her. "What's going on?" She asked.

"I don't know," Emmett replied as he hugged her.

Bella hugged him back, trying to get over the shock of what had just happened. "You're okay kiddo," he assured her, rubbing her back. Bella clung to him, swallowing hard. Emmett looked at Rosalie, mouthing to her that they had to talk to Carlisle. She nodded and saw that they would have to wait until she was asleep.

That night, Bella was asleep when Edward went into her bedroom. Emmett and Rosalie were talking to Carlisle and Esme about what had happened earlier that day. Now there was a huge hole in the wall from where Emmett hit when Bella "pushed" him. He walked over and moved his hand over her face.

(Flashback)

Bella was sitting on Edward's hip, still staring at the floor. "I wonder why the tracker was going after her, she's so little," Alice commented.

"I don't know," Edward answered.

Alice reached into the bag. "What is that?" He asked.

"I bought her a little something instead of those smelly pajamas," she replied.

She pulled out a pink dress. "I thought it was adorable," Alice told him. She showed it to Bella who wrinkled her nose at the dress.

"Alice…I don't think she likes it," Edward commented.

She clung to Edward when Alice tried to get closer. "Alice she's digging into my skin stop," he told her.

"She shouldn't be hurting you," Alice pointed out.

"She's not, she's hurting herself," Edward answered.

(End Flashback)

Edward was still staring at her sleeping form and let out a sigh. She grew from a terrified two-year old to a beautiful young woman. Not a day went by when he didn't think about her. He carefully sat on the edge of her bed and Bella suddenly reached out in her sleep, grabbing his hand. He sighed as he placed his other hand over hers and watched as she slept.

The next day at school, Bella was walking down the hall with Edward. "You're really quiet today," he commented.

"Sorry, I just have a lot on my mind," she replied.

"Want to talk about it?" He asked.

"It's complicated," she replied.

Edward nodded his head slowly. "I know how that is," he commented. Bella let out a sigh as they walked out of the school. He was surprised that instead of heading to her car, she started walking into the woods.

Bella kept walking into the woods until she felt like she couldn't walk anymore. She sat down and Edward was standing there. "You're like Rosalie and Emmett aren't you?" She asked. He sat down across from her. "You're a vampire," she told him. He let out a sigh.

"Yes, I am," he replied.

Bella was quiet and closed her eyes for a minute. "It was all so obvious, the cold skinned, you don't go to school the same days they don't," she murmured. Edward sat there, listening to her. "Then…you should know that Rosalie's not my sister, but my mother and Emmett's my father," she told him.

"I kind of figured," he answered with a small grin.

Bella rubbed her hands together. "I have so many unanswered questions, they keep saying they're protecting me, but I don't know from what. Then all of a sudden I'm shoving my father across the kitchen…Edward I don't know what's happening to me," she explained. Edward reached over and held her hands. "Whatever they're protecting me from…I don't understand it…" she whispered. They sat in silence and Edward was suddenly behind her. He wrapped his arms protectively around her and he leaned back against a tree.

Bella relaxed against him, her hands resting over his. She hadn't felt this safe in the longest time. She closed her eyes and before she knew it, she was asleep in his arms.

Edward moved circles over her arms, watching her sleep. The last time he held her in his arms like this, she was two, right after the fire and she refused to go to sleep. He moved some hair out of her face. She looked so peaceful, not as restless as the last few nights he watched her sleep. He leaned forward and breathed in her scent, he felt the venom try to fill his mouth, but he pushed it back. He put a halt to his animalistic tendencies with the memory of a little girl who had clung to him in fear. "Bella…my little Bella…" he whispered, moving his hand over her arm. She let out a sigh in her sleep.

"Edward…" she murmured in her sleep.

He kissed the top of her head, closing his eyes as he held onto her. Silently promising to protect her.